Mankato Free Press reporter Josh Moniz took in a Libertarian Party organizational meeting and lived to tell about it in his Reporter Notebook: Libertarian Party seeks opening in 2014 elections.
There's a bit of drama here:
The Wednesday event drew a few notable political figures, including former GOP Sen. Al DeKruif, St. Peter mayor candidate Joel Brinker, St. Peter City Council candidate Roger Parras and Minnesota House 24B Libertarian candidate Deb Salonek.
A poignant counterpoint of the party's challenges ahead occurred during a debate between Brinker, who wants to consider himself a Libertarian mayor if elected, and DeKruif, who was in office during the Republican control of the Minnesota Legislature in 2012.
DeKruif said he has Libertarian leanings, but he takes issue with the party targeting Republicans that share their ideals and accusing them of not being committed enough in their votes. He said he also seriously worries that voting for a third party only helps the opposing party. He said he blames Tom Emmer’s gubernatorial loss in 2010 entirely on Independent candidate Tom Horner siphoning off votes.
Oh, Al. You never fail delight us. We have to wonder just what those Libertarian leanings are, as we don't believe you demonstrated them much in the two sweet years you served in the Republican majority in the Minnesota Senate.
The LP provided a laundry list of its principles to Moniz; marriage equality, reproductive rights, legalization of drugs and prostitution, as well as a limited roll for the military, are those that distinguish the Libertarian Party from the Republican.
Were he being Libertarian when he took his check during the shutdown, or was it when he voted to put the amendment to restrict the right to marry in the Constitution? Or was it when he wrote the June 2012 column, Minnesota senator asks: Is anything sacred anymore? in which he asked:
Aren’t we allowed to have anything sacred in our country anymore? Not even marriage?
It's a valid question, but not one shaded by Libertarian leanings.
Or was he showing his Libertarian leanings when he spent public funds for his re-election, as the Pioneer Press reported in At the Capitol: Republican senators broke campaign laws, judges rule.
Or maybe those Libertarian leanings prompted signing onto a bill requiring drug testing for anyone receiving public assistance? Or the bill that he authored that expanded definitions of drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine paraphernalia? While the merit of both bills can be debated they can't be labeled as Libertarian leanings.
Bluestem eagerly awaits DeKruif's outrearch to the Greens and the Constitution Party.
Photo: Former Senator Al DeKruif.
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